Top 3 Things You Love About Trucking
 

Hi, Folks

For those of you who've been trucking a while, may I ask you to please share the top 3 things that you love about your job?

Thanks,

JJ

Top 3
 

#1 Freedom...Not having someone looking over your shoulder

#2 $$$$$$...There is no other job in the world that you can make the kind of money you can make in trucking without a degree.

#3 The view...I have seen all 48 states and most of Canada. Not many people out of this profession can say that.

With all that said....The 3 worst things about trucking would be a little easier to compile.

LOL, dollarshort...I appreciate a glowing top 3. Helps me to prepare myself for what I'm sure will be some scorching negatives :D

Well, I'm a local driver, so I probably dont count, but I do remember running all over, and the things that I loved doing. One of the things, was seeing the country. Just seeing other parts of the country. Seeing the tall cactus in southern Arizona. Reminds me of the many westerns that I watch. Going to California, and come to find out, southern California is nothing but a burned up desert. :P Driving up, and down the hills in the Dakotas. Seeing all the wheat fields in Kansas. All the tall trees in Georgia. My wife is from Georgia, and me being a dumb country boy, living in north west Texas, I often asked her, how in the world did she live with all them trees? Shoot, you can't even see the sun set. :P

I spent most of my time OTR on wheat harvest. (if you consider wheat harvest OTR) I grew up around my grandparents' farm, and I still work part time for an outfit, today. I rode on a combine on my grandparents' farm when I was 3, or 4 years old. Ever since, I've always wanted to go on harvest. I went 6 years on wheat harvest, but I will never forget the first time I went into South Dakota. Kansas was what I always thought it was. Flat, and lots of farm land, but I guess, I always assumed the Dakotas to be kinda flat also. All of a sudden, you get to South Dakota, and there are these big, rolling hills. I thought, "How in the world do these folks farm in these mountaints?" :P They do, and they do good, according to the market.

As of now, I currently drive for SYSCO. I have been here for almost 5 years, now. For the last couple of years, I have been running line haul. All my driving is at night. I drive in west Texas. Nothing but open range, and all the animals that come out at night. Not much traffic. I have made some friends with the other drivers that run line haul that I talk to on the cb radio. Seeing the cow trucks running into, out of Lubbock. Those gorgeous Peterbilts, and all those pretty lights. :P

You know, there are lots of benefits, driving a truck. Meeting other people at truck stops, talking to other drivers on the cb radio, and seeing different parts of the county. Just being out there, driving on the open road. There are some not so wonderful things, driving a truck. Being away from home, your family. Not seeing your family every day. Not being with the kids, seeing them play sports. It can be a rough life. Being out in all kinds of weather, and rush hour traffic in major cities. Having to sit, and wait for your loads, or waiting to get unloaded. Truck drivers can make a good living, good career driving a truck. It also can weigh heavily on a driver, and his family. There are many ways to look at the industry.

In what ever decision that you decide on in this career, I wish you the best. Always follow your heart's desire, and make the best out of it.

That's right JR but it has nothing to do with being a local driver! LOL! :lol:

(Just kidding, nice post!)

Ha ha. Very funny. :lol: :P

Yeah, I dont know why I said that. I guess, since I am home every night, and I drive on the same highway every night. :| :P Long haul guys kinda think we are just, running local. :P

1. The freedom- not having a boss directly over me every day and not being stuck indoors all day.
2. Job security- there is and will always be a need for truck drivers
3. The benefits and money- most trucking company provide health and dental insurance and although you work almost 70 hours a week the pay is decent.

Most peoples vision of truck drivers is one that is strictly out of Hollywood. "A single man that drives a semi down the highway at warp speeds and runs over anyone or anything that gets in his way. He is constantly swinging by a girlfriends house, and is always able to be home whenever he needs to be."

It is a job I truly love and I won't do anything else unless I had to. But like every job it does have its days. Some love it and stick with, others just do it to other possiblilities arise, and others do it because it might be their only option.

1. I have a very low opinion of mankind in general.... so this job gives me the ability not to interact with people on a personal level....or at least very little.

2. I make a decent living.

3. I have good benefits.

The company I work for is way above average all around, and they actually give a care or three for their drivers and work hard to keep us busy and treat us well.

I can't say I love trucking or my job....its just a job for me, not a way of life. What I would love to do is win a really big lottery....so I can buy a really nice trawler and go to the lower Caribbean for a lonnnngggggg time!!!

My thoughts exactly. Especially the last part!

1. The things you see from your cab.(Short skirts, titties, bj's, etc)
2. I can block traffic better than anybody out there.
3. I get to stay away from my wife for 12-13 hours a day. :lol:

Oh, you folks have just had us in absolute stitches :lol: Continental, I can already tell you're trouble, LOL.

Jackrabbit, you can sure paint a picture with words. You brought to mind a wonderful memory of a vacation we took in SD some years back. We drove there from central Florida, with 2 big dogs, all our camping gear and luggage in our Geo Metro hatchback. LOL. It's nothing short of amazing how much you can comfortably squeeze into those amazing cars. SD was beyond description in beauty and being able to see Custer Natl Park, Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial and the cemetary at Wounded Knee was such a highlight in our lives. And, I can't fail to mention the great people we got to meet and make friends with along the way...the whole experience was just such a priviledge.

We've also driven from Northern CA all the way across to Florida on up to PA and on to Montreal several times and I have to say that my personal feeling is that a person hasn't truly experienced America until they've driven it some. I haven't seen even a tenth of what I want to see of this great country. I've always wanted to see it from up high in a big truck instead of from a veritable rollerskate...I think hubby'd prefer the view you mentioned Continental :oops: :lol:

Thanks to all for sharing.

Blessings

JJ

Sssshhhhh! You sick puppy!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: You're not supposed to tell everyone about all that..... 8)

1) Seeing this wonderful country of ours! Parts of it that many can only dream about, but then again, if you have never seen it, how can you dream about it.
2) No body looking over your shoulder, do your own thing, as long as the loads get picked up and delivered on time.
3) Telling others of the places I have seen.

LOL!! My thoughts exactly. Got that way after I was a claims adjuster for a few years.

:D :D Truth be known, thats the very thing all of us former "Professionals" have in common!! :shock: :D :D

you took my #1 reason :o

Well, my #2 would be, Never being in the same place all the time. Sure I have a dedicated route, but I'm not stuck inside a building for 8 hours where going outside in the middle of the day would be considered a treat.

#3 You can see and do a whole lot more then most people ever will. Plus you get to watch the spray from your tires splash back onto all those little cars as they try to pass you with their windshield wipers going mach 2. I also like continental's #1 reason, nothing like being stuck in rush hour traffic and looking over to see a hot brunette with a miniskirt and a vibrator. :lol:

1) No office politics
2) Clearly defined goals to accomplish each day, and when they're done, they're done
3) Getting most of the visual effect of being outdoors without having to feel so much of the extremes of hot or cold or wet

1. The equipment (some companys)
2. You can take a break when you want, not when your boss says
3. travel for free

[quote="Skywalker"]1. I have a very low opinion of mankind in general.... so this job gives me the ability not to interact with people on a personal level....or at least very little.

The above and a few of the other reasons is why I want to get into the industry.

My top three:
1.I like to move, I like to be on the go, and trucking allows me to set the cruise control, and roll out.
2.I like to work alone.
3.I love to get out of the truck and go for a hike, and I don't like to run into anyone I know.
Never seen any sexual shenanigans, but then again, I'm so horribly ugly that I can scare the clothes right back onto a horney Lepper/hooker.

1) The food in truck stops. (I love it when a TS soaks a skewer of shrimp in margarine, grills them, soaks them in margarine again, serves them with steamed veggies and puts them on the "Eat Smart" menu...)

2) Waiting an hour or two for a receiver to bring your bills to you only to have them knock on your door 2.5 minutes after you fell asleep.

3) The education that one can receive just by tuning in to Channel 19 on the CB. Anyone who is anyone is broadcasting here. Some of the most well-educated political and philosophical minds can be found there. Sure, they could have their own radio show, write countless books and articles, but they choose to give it all to you for free across the citizen's band because that's just the kind of folks they are.

Dang! WHEN am I gonna LEARN??? It seems at least HALF of the posters on this board are NOT the (male) driver.... but his WIFE!!! :shock: :roll:

Nothing WRONG with that, but I just wish you'd tell us up front.
Here I was thinking Jeff was a bit too "refined" for this job, yet giving him the benefit of the doubt (even defending him on another thread.) I don't know.... but I THINK a few of the posters might not have been so crass had they known they were talking to the WIFE! :wink:

Regardless, you're description of your travels to date, and the importance of the places you chose to visit, shows me alot about y'all! And I think you will love this job.

If you mentioned it, I missed it. But, are y'all going to drive TEAM, or Solo "accompanied?"

I will be back when I've gotten my head around WHO I'm talking to, and how that "changes" or influences everything you've posted so far.


Edited after revisiting the FIRST thread, and realizing I DID somehow "miss it!" My apologies for having a brain fart!! :shock: :roll: :lol:

1. The Money

2. The Fun

3. The Glory

:D

not fair`
 

almost a year out here have seen no bj's not too many titties either

but did have a 300 pound thing resembling a lot lizard ask me if i wanted company and when i turned her down she tried to borrow 5 dollars til she got some business

Ok, here the three things I love about trucking.......
uh.....ummmm...... :?

Go rent "Duel" again,...it'll all come back to ya.

inmate 1577 why dont you find another job you seem to be very unhappy with driving(everything you post is negetive)

Amen.

1. As others have posted,I really like being by myself a good day to me is when no one ask me a question on the CB and I don't have to call anyone,if I can go all day and not talk to anyone except friends or family I am happy.

2. Truck driving is either in your blood or not,simple as that others can make a career out of it but they will never enjoy it like those of us that have the "itch".

3. The joy that little boys and girls get when you blow the air horn for them,just makes me smile everytime,only takes a second and makes a lasting impression on future 4 wheeler drivers.

There are so many things that are bad when it comes to driving, waiting, being away from home, living what seems to be two seperate lives, being yelled at for something that isn't your fault, construction, getting lost, tickets if you mess up, your life and others if you mess up really bad, listening to your kid growing up over the phone, missing all their activities, the list goes on and on. Instead of telling you three things, I want to tell you what makes all the above, and all the other bad things that go along with driving, WORTH IT.

When you have had a couple bad days, when one load messes up the next 3 loads, because it's not ready, or the trailer has a air leak, then you get a flat tire, or what ever of the millions of reasons happens to go wrong. Then you get yelled at from dispatch cause the repair truck didn't show up on time, and now you can't make the load, so you get yelled at more, then when everything is ready to go, you are out of hours.

Just when you are thinking of giving it up, you get that magical load, one that comes at the end of the day, and is at least a 700 mile run. You have just enough time to make it to the trailer, and it's a nice new one, in good shape, and it's ready to go, parked in a good place, in a yard that gets things done fast, and are really efficient. You literally only have to pull up, hook it and you are ready to go, because they are efficient and the paperwork is done quick and right the first time.

You are in and out of the yard in record time and realize that you still have enough time to make it to a good truckstop, and there is actually a nice parking place. You go to sleep that night knowing that when you wake up, money is going to be made, there is no annoying qualcom messages requesting loads, or waiting on dispatch, as soon as your day can be started, you can be ready to go, so you sleep better, or at least I do.

You get up the next day, and the pretrip goes wonderful, and it's a nice day, good weather, and you know you get to drive the whole day. You get started and you are on your own, no boss breathing down your neck, chit chatting on the cb, there is almost always something going on, sometimes its funny, sometimes its just some good conversation between fellow drivers. You have the sun tanning your left arm, good music on the xm, traffic isn't bad, truck is running good, trailer is tracking perfectly, the turbo is singing a tune, oh yeah.

By yourself, windows up, or down, ac on or off, music loud, or soft, cb on, or off, stop when you want to, watch how everything changes from one region to another, not only the temperature, but the way the grass grows, what trees are more dominant, the people who live there, how the roads are laid out, how different the cop cars are, man the list just goes on and on forever.

You make it through the whole day without a wreck slowing things up, construction zones speeds were good, with no major hold ups, and because you started your day early, you make it to where ever you are gonna shut down for the night nice and early so there are plenty of parking spots, and because it's early, you have more choices on where to stop, and sometimes, you get to go to your favorite place, where the food is good, the shower is clean, and the people are nice.

You spent the whole day doing what you dreamed trucking would be like. And maybe, just maybe, your next load will be just as good, but even if it isn't, you know that the "perfect load" will come again, and take away all the frustrations that come along with the job, and make you realize just how much you love this career.

so you're actually driving?

Good to see you posting again, Novacane. But, which one of you IS this?